Saturday, December 9, 2017

The San Francisco Bay Area’s rapid transit system just took a big step towards ensuring a clean energy future.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)’s Board of Directors approved two 20-year power purchase agreements this week, one for 61.7MW of wind and one for 45MW of solar. When delivery begins under the contracts in 2021, renewable energy will jump from 4 percent to 90 percent of the District’s electricity portfolio.

As a result of these purchases, BART will save nearly $174 million over the two-decade contract terms. BART’s announcement is yet another example of how clean energy is a win-win, allowing purchasers to save money even as they reduce their carbon emissions.

BART Board President Rebecca Saltzman celebrated this point in announcing the deals: “These agreements will ensure the District gets a majority of its electricity supply from clean, renewable, and competitively-priced sources through at least 2040,” she said. “Wind and solar energy will take center stage in BART’s long-term electricity supply.”

As a public transportation system serving around 423,000 passengers every weekday, BART is one of the largest electricity consumers in Northern California. Today’s news will ensure that electricity is coming from clean, renewable sources. At a time when transportation accounts for more carbon pollution than any other sector, BART’s wind energy purchase is a hallmark of how transit systems can take concrete steps to reduce their climate impacts that make good business sense, too.

Friday, May 12, 2017

This week in transportation, conservatives told President Trump what they want to see in his infrastructure plan, opponents of California's high-speed rail appeared ready to appeal a ruling allowing for the sale of bonds to finance the project, and Forth Worth moved closer to a high-speed rail link with Dallas. Here are the most important and interesting transportation stories from the past week:

Trump's Infrastructure Plan: Stuck in Traffic?RealClearPolitics reports, "The president, his Cabinet members and White House advisers have been largely tight-lipped for months about key details attached to a major Trump campaign pledge to fix crumbling roads, bridges, airports and water systems while also creating good-paying jobs... More than a month ago, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao described a complex administration package of transportation infrastructure, water, broadband, energy and electrical grid, and upgrades to veterans’ hospitals, and predicted an announcement later in 2017. Trump told interviewers he was considering accelerating that timeline."

Conservatives lay out wish list for Trump infrastructure planThe Hill reports, "A coalition of conservative groups have laid out a wish list for what they want in President Trump’s $1 trillion infrastructure package — and it could spell trouble for the key White House policy effort... The wish list is divided into six priorities: reform the environmental review process, repeal labor regulations, focus on 'core' infrastructure projects, empower the states, fully pay for projects and reform spending instead of creating new funding streams."

Higher Gas Taxes Won't WorkThe Atlantic's CityLab writes, "One possible solution—the mileage fee, or VMT tax—seems to be one whose time has come. The tax reorients the transportation “product” that users are paying for with a philosophy more in step with how people travel now. Simply put, drivers pay for their travel based on a per-mile rate. It’s almost like slapping a toll on every road, except that mileage could be measured and billed based on a low-fi transponder, or a high-tech piece of cellphone gadgetry. Drivers could alternatively pay through a one-time annual fee, if they hate the feeling of being 'tracked.'"

California high-speed rail opponents likely to appeal rulingThe Sacramento Bee reports, "Opponents of California's bullet train said they are likely to appeal a judge's ruling Monday that will let the state spend about $1.25 billion in voter-approved bond money, rather than taking up the judge's offer to refile the lawsuit. Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Raymond Cadei rejected opponents' latest lawsuit aimed at blocking California's $64 billion high-speed rail project. The judge ruled that the lawsuit is premature. But he amended the tentative ruling he issued last month to allow opponents to refile the lawsuit with different legal arguments."

Fort Worth takes big step toward high-speed rail link with DallasThe Star-Telegram reports, "Fort Worth and Dallas are in the process of preparing for a 30- to 40-mile high-speed rail line between the two cities called the DFW Core Express. A $15 million environmental impact study of the possible route is expected to be completed in 2018. On Tuesday, the Fort Worth city council considered creating a local government corporation with Dallas, an entity that would govern inter-city passenger rail service. Discussions are also focusing on including a stop in Arlington and adding that city to the corporation. The Dallas City Council is expected to approve the local government corporation by the end of May."

Friday, April 21, 2017

A viaduct under construction in Fresno County, Calif.
Photo courtesy of the LA Times.

This week in transportation, the Trump administration began staffing up for its infrastructure push, New York and New Jersey officials urged federal support for Amtrak's Gateway project, and California sold more bonds to fund its high-speed rail project. Here are the most important and interesting transportation stories from the past week:

Transportation Department plans new top-level spots to oversee Trump priorities
The Hill reports, "The Department of Transportation plans to create new top-level roles and reshuffle other positions in order to put more muscle behind two of President Trump’s priorities: infrastructure investment and modernizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)... Secretary Elaine Chao intends to appoint DOT chief of staff Michael Britt to be senior adviser for FAA modernization... On transportation, Chao intends to appoint James Ray to be a senior adviser on infrastructure."

New study identifies nine of the worst highway projects across the country, $10 billion in taxpayer dollars wasted
The United States Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) Education Fund and Frontier Group has released the third in a series of reports about wasteful spending on highway expansion projects. U.S. PIRG writes that this installment "identifies nine of the most wasteful highway expansion projects across the country, slated to collectively cost at least $10 billion. This third iteration of the highway boondoggles report details how despite America’s mounting repair and maintenance backlog, and in defiance of America’s changing transportation needs, federal, state and local governments across the country continue to spend billions each year on expanding highways. The report disputes the claims used to justify these investments and argues that the projects are outright boondoggles."

The LA Times reports, "The California treasurer sold $1.2 billion in bonds Thursday to help finance construction of high-speed rail in the Central Valley, a significant development after years of delays in tapping the bonds that taxpayers approved in 2008... The bond funds are critical to current construction efforts in the Central Valley. They would help finance about 118 miles of construction from Madera to Shafter, not including electrical power systems, signals or trains. Any spending from the bonds, which are taxable for investors, must be matched with money from other sources. So far, the project has $3.5 billion in federal grants and $1.2 billion in state greenhouse gas fees."

NY, NJ senators invite transportation secretary to view decaying train tunnels
Reuters reports, "To preserve federal funding for critical rail projects, New Jersey and New York senators on Wednesday asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to examine firsthand the decaying train tunnels that threaten to cripple regional travel if they fail. In a letter to Chao, four Democratic senators, two each from New York and New Jersey, asked Chao to visit before Republican President Donald Trump's administration finalizes any federal infrastructure package. They also urged Chao to support Amtrak's Gateway Program, which includes building a passenger rail tunnel underneath the Hudson River in partnership with NJ Transit, the two states, and their bi-state port authority."

The Seattle Times reports that the City of Portland wants to be among the first to issue permits for driverless vehicles. Mayor Ted Wheeler and Transportation Commissioner Dan Saltzman are "directing the Portland Bureau of Transportation to create a policy to open up the city’s streets to self-driving cars. As part of a new initiative, the agency would have 60 days to develop a set of rules for pilot programs to deploy and test autonomous vehicles. It’s looking at issues such as the cost of a permit and methods of reporting when and where the cars would be on the road."

Friday, March 17, 2017

This week in transportation, Congress began thinking about a $1 trillion transportation plan, California released guidance for driverless vehicles, and President Trump released a budget proposal that could kill transit projects across the country. Here are the most important and interesting transportation stories from the past week:

NBC News shines a light on the issue of how Trump - and, more importantly, Congress - will choose to pay for the President's trillion-dollar infrastructure proposal. Importantly, Democrats in Congress and a handful of Republicans have pointed out that public-private partnerships will only bear fruit for projects where companies can expect a profit - and that won't be the case with important "public good" projects like fixing water infrastructure.

Work begins on $1T infrastructure planThe Hill gives a good rundown of where Trump's transportation proposal stands, from the mention of infrastructure improvements in his first joint address to Congress, to his recent meetings with industry executives and agency heads. If your focus isn't usually on transportation policy at the federal level, this is a good 101 piece to read.

High-speed train bill could stall All Aboard Florida’s BrightlineThe Palm Beach Post reports, "The day after All Aboard Florida’s Brightline welcomed the second train in its growing fleet, officials with the private rail venture said a proposed billregulating high-speed trains could threaten its expansion to Orlando and other points across the state. The bill (SB 386), dubbed the Florida High-Speed Passenger Rail Safety Act, cleared its first hurdle on Tuesday, winning support from the Senate’s Committee on Transportation. It would require high-speed rail companies such as All Aboard Florida to install safety features and pay for fencing along sections of its tracks where pedestrians could be at risk... Rusty Roberts, vice president of government affairs for All Aboard Florida, told the Senate committee that the bill could threaten the company’s expansion plans, adding that it 'unconstitutionally targets one company.'”

California’s Finally Ready for Truly Driverless CarsWired reports that "Silicon Valley’s home state is ready to toss the bag of flesh and bones and replace it with a big sack of cash. The California Department of Motor Vehicles today proposed new regulations that will finally prepare for the move from testing to commercialization... Among other things, they require that a manufacturer obtain written support from the local jurisdiction before going fully driverless (without clarifying who, exactly, must agree to that). The company must also have a communication link to the car, and provide plans for remote operation, so a human, somewhere, can step if the car gets pulled over, or the like. "

The Purple Line is toast if Trump’s budget passesJonathan Neely writes for Greater Greater Washington, "President Trump's budget proposal will cast a devastating blow against transit if it passes through Congress. On the chopping block are the Purple Line and Alexandria's West End Bus Rapid Transit, along with dozens of other projects across the nation. The administration is continuing its anti-urban, anti-government campaign by slashing programs that affect virtually every American. The transit cuts are particularly draconian, and have the potential to impact transit construction for decades." He names several projects whose futures will be in jeopardy if Trump's budget came to pass, from the DC Metro's Purple Line, to the Second Avenue subway extension in NYC."

Friday, March 3, 2017

This week in transportation, President Trump asked Congress for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, DOT Secretary Chao emphasized the need for private infrastructure investment, and a new report detailed potential ridership levels for high-speed rail in the West. Here are the most important and interesting transportation stories from the past week:

Chao Warns Governors: Paying for Big Transport Plans to Be HardElaine Chao had her first public appearance since her confirmation as Transportation Secretary. According to Bloomberg, she told the National Governors Association, "Everybody wants a better transportation system, but very few people want to pay for it, so that's a big conundrum... There will be a lot of discussion about pay-fors, and that's going to be a tremendous challenge."

Caltrain: Agreement with contractors to extend deadline keeps electrification project aliveThe Mercury News reports that electrification of Caltrain - an important component of bringing high-speed rail to California, as it will share those tracks - may still happen even after the feds put off awarding grant money that would help the project: "The commuter rail line announced Monday that it has reached agreements with two contractors to extend a March 1 deadline to begin work to June 30. The extra time preserves its $2 billion electrification project, which was thrown into disarray this month when the Federal Transit Administration said it was deferring $647 million in grant funding."

High-speed rail report estimates 11M riders between Las Vegas and California by 2035The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports, "A high-speed train system linking Las Vegas and Southern California would attract about 11 million round-trip riders and generate roughly $1 billion in annual revenue by full buildout in 2035, according to a report released Thursday. The figures were based on a $115 roundtrip ticket that would connect passengers on the publicly funded California High Speed rail system to a private line operated by XpressWest, the company franchised nearly two years ago to build a rail segment from Las Vegas to Palmdale."

This wrap-up of the Smart Cities Challenge summarizes what the grant program got right - including funneling the money directly to cities, requiring collaboration between stakeholders, and rewarding well-defined goals.﻿

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

At his first address to Congress, President Donald Trump asked Congress to approve a $1 trillion infrastructure package financed by both public and private investment.

In announcing this proposal - which did not get more specific than that in terms of what funding mechanisms would be used to finance what kinds of projects - Trump invoked Eisenhower's leadership building the national interstate highway system, saying "the time has come for a new program of national rebuilding."

As he often does, Trump compared the money America has spent in the Middle East with the money that could have been spent on infrastructure at home. He said, "America has spent approximately $6 trillion in the Middle East, all the while our infrastructure at home as crumbled. With that $6 trillion we could have rebuilt our infrastructure twice."

"To launch our national rebuilding," he said, "I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States — financed through both public and private capital — creating millions of new jobs. This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and hire American."

He also mentioned infrastructure at the beginning of his speech, which used similar parallel structure to his Inaugural Address where he first painted a dark picture of what America has become, before defining how things will change under his presidency.

He first said, "We've spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled." He later said, "Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, and railways, gleaming across our very, very beautiful land."

Indeed, Trump still talks about infrastructure mostly in terms of transportation infrastructure, though he did mention pipelines such as Keystone XL and Dakota Access at other times in his address.

Friday, February 24, 2017

This week in transportation, Congress might wait until next year to tackle an infrastructure package, support grew for high-speed rail in the Northwest, and a new report outlined methods for better investing in bicycle and walking infrastructure. Here are the most important and interesting transportation stories from the past week:

Axios reports that GOP sources have told them they will "push off until next year any consideration of the massive infrastructure plan Trump wants to push for roads, airports and other big projects, giving Republican lawmakers more breathing room amid a crowd of issues that'll require massive effort, time and political capital... Republican strategists say that Democrats, who'll be reluctant to give Trump a win, will be in a jam as midterm elections close in: They'll be under huge pressure to support big projects that'll bring money and improvements to their districts."

The Hill reports, "Drivers in the U.S. traveled a record-breaking number of miles last year, for the fifth straight year of increased driving on public roads, according to new federal data. U.S. driving topped 3.2 trillion miles in 2016 — up from 3.1 trillion the previous year, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) said Tuesday. Drivers logged more than 263.6 billion miles in December 2016 alone, which is a 0.5 percent increase over the previous December, the FHWA added."﻿

The Dallas Business Journal writes that Texas Central Partners, the firm constructing a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas, is taking issue with a recent report by the Reason Foundation which found the line could cost taxpayers $21.5 billion despite intentions to build the line without any taxpayer dollars. They claim the data Reason used for the study is outdated and that they reversed earlier support for the rail line without cause.

Next City reports, "With a coalition of tech millionaires and billionaires, politicians and investment groups behind the renewed push, it seems plausible high-speed rail could finally move from fantasy to reality in the Northwest. The idea is at least real enough that Washington Governor Jay Inslee put $1 million in his proposed budget to fund a feasibility study."

Transportation for America and the American Public Health Association have released a new report highlighting metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) that have placed a greater emphasis on active transportation, such as walking and bicycling. The paper outlines four policy levers MPOs can use to ensure more funding and better results for walking and bicycling infrastructure. It also includes over 30 case studies of MPOs across the country using those strategies successfully.